Blackpool?!

[HamCob]

My mum has been desperate to take her grandchildren to Blackpool to see the illuminations for a couple of years now (we would go as a family of 4 plus my parents) I've been putting her off as I'm really not keen but I'm starting to feel like I'm being a bit mean as there won't really be many more years we can go.
We would go midweek for 2 nights so hopefully would avoid the stag dos etc.

Has anyone been with kids within the last couple of years and was it ok? We've been in a couple of day trips to skeggy and the like and I don't mind that sort of vibe?

Any hotel recommendations also welcome - Ribby hall is out as it's too far from the centre.

@HamCob

Thanks all! Yeah I'm not really treating it as a holiday as such - but just need it to be bearable for 2 days so I'll look at The Blue and also St Anne's. As long as the kids and my mum are happy then it will be fine - I'm from a working class family and holidays to Skegness, Great Yarmouth, butlins etc were the norm so I'm sure it will be water off a ducks back!

If you're only there for 2 nights, I'm not sure why you'd bother paying such rates for those hotels tbh.

Surely a decent chain at half or less the price for 2 nights would suffice?

@Kendodd

I went to Blackpool once when I was a child. A big fat woman fell on top of me in the street. I haven't been back.

Sorry but 😂

I love Skegness, Great Yarmouth, Scarborough, Whitby. It's not those places. I really did not like it. I would stay outside of Blackpool itself as suggested and just go to check out the lights. Hopefully you will have a lovely time and your mum will be happy.

We live close enough to Blackpool for day trips and our DC loved the Sandcastle water park when they were younger and one time we combined a visit there with seeing the illuminations. There will be plenty to do if you're only staying a couple of days. The kids and your Mum will love it which is, presumably, the reason for going.

@MrsDThomas

Blackpool is the place to go, so you realise you should never go back, and only then you can say its a shithole.

@MrsDThomas I think that this could be said for most places, certainly "seaside" places.

They definitely have issues there re stags and hens, and the young people can be vile but again that could be said the same for many other locations...

What a bunch of snobs.

Ok it's not The Maldives but it's just a typical British seaside resort with plenty of things to do and see. There's all sorts of attractions in and around the tower.

It might be quieter/more pleasant staying a little out of Blackpool somewhere like St Anne's or Fleetwood then going into Blackpool for the day.

Blackpool is not as bad as some are saying. I’m from lancashire, spent many a day at the beach riding donkeys and the pleasure beach with my school friends. I remembered it being really rough when I was a teen, but that’s when I was going there drinking on a weekend. After moving back home after almost 20years I was pleasantly surprised it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. They have cleaned up the beaches and they have blue badge awards now. Like any seaside town it has its run down areas but so dose everywhere else. There definitely needs more investment in the town, especially the front, b&bs etc..

The ride the lights is fantastic. It’s very busy, you don’t need a bike, we tend to walk and the kids go on their scooters. Our tradition is Chippy tea at Bispham, jump the tram down to south pier and walk back until the DCs are tired then grab a tram the rest of the way back. We missed it last year as we’ve moved away.

Blackpool zoo is lovely so is Stanley park. Then you have Lytham just down the road.

You have the Tower, though it’s very run down it’s still worth a visit especially the circus. Madam Tussauds, Seal Life Centre.

There is the pleasure beach, though I was not impressed with its price increases after moving back. We didn’t do any of the big rides, stuck to the little kids section the last time we went. I wasn’t happy paying to get in, I was heavily pregnant, no chance of going on any rides. Growing up you bought tickets for what rides you wanted but could get in and out for free.

In October the pleasure beach usually hosts slimefest. I took my dd and her friend a couple of years ago, they loved it.

We are going back for a trip in June for a family event not far out of Blackpool so I’ve booked us into a haven site in Blackpool for 7 nights as it’s cheaper than 2 hotel rooms for 3 nights.

Don’t completely dismiss it.

Your kids will love it.

It's so busy, the beach, the arcades, the tower etc.

It's so bright and busy kids just love it. There's so much for them to take in. I remember when I was little we had to book a coach trip to go and I remember just been sooo excited because of all the noise, smells, the whole thing.

Adults maybe not so much. It's a good laugh. It's run down in some places, others not as much. Children do not notice things like that.

I've took my Dd a few times. She absolutely loves it because there are a couple of fairs and the lights obviously.

The tat shops are a good laugh.

I've been with my sisters to see Britney for one night. Had a ball.

Room was fucking terrible, so terrible it made the weekend.

The big blue is lovely to stay in.

Another one saying ignore the snobs!!
I used to love going as a child we, used to do it as a day trip.
Walk along the beach, buy some rock, maybe visit the Sandcastle swimming centre on the seafront (think that's still going?!)
Then there's the Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Think you have to pay nowadays to even wander round without going on anything, mind you)
Anyways!
Used to love it as a child, took both mine a few years back.
Great for a weekend.
Go and see the illuminations, they'll LOVE it.
There's Blackpool Tower too, you can go up there and look down via the glass floor (wibble)
Also the Comedy Carpet in front of the Tower kept mine entertained for ages, loads of quotes of comedy programmes recognising where they're from.